Juro por Deus

Otto likes to play football (soccer), but most of the time, the other boys won't let him play. This is a both sad and sweet story about a young boy's growing pains. Confusion, affections, love, and hate blended into an exciting thriller/drama for young teens and adults alike. Good social description of the poorer parts of Oslo (and other Scandinavian cities) in the early 60's.

I really did not like this film. It put me on edge for the entire 90 minutes and its ending was confused and unresolved.I think the major problem with it is its screenplay.Key scenes, pivotal plot moments, are thrown away by the director's nonsensical choices.One minute he's filming "This Boy's Life" and the next he's making a horror film.The lead boy actor says very few things and we really are not given access to empathy for him, and the key character of Frank was badly miscast. That actor seemed to think he was the lead in a vampire movie or something;"Beware, beware, when you least expect him.... Frank is there." What a mess. So many good films out there; don't waste your time on this one. PLEASE don't ask me how it got all those film fest awards; I just cannot imagine.

I love Scandinavian cinema. Limited dialogue and cinematographic minimalism. My hopes were elevated when I saw how this film was paralleled with the superior My Life As A Dog (1987). Cross My Heart And Hope To Die is skillfully directed by Marius Holst with adroit cinematography by Philip Ogaard. Martin Dahl Garfalk is fine as an Oslo teen who feels isolated. However, his life is turned upside down when a mysterious stranger comes to town. Cross My Heart And Hope To Die offers an engaging slice of Norwegian teen life.

Otto's family isn't going away for the summer break like almost everyone else in town. His parents can't afford it. He finds himself alone until an older mysterious stranger named Frank shows up. With no others his own age around, Otto begins to glimpse the world of the adults around him. From his father's accident, to finding a dead body in the lake to seeing his mother in a questionable situation with Frank, Otto begins to see the world differently.

This film is in color but it felt black and white. Maybe because it is set in Norway but maybe because it's meant to be (and is) a cold, realistic vision of a young boy struggling with adolescence. I understand that Kornstad was an amateur; if so he gave an incredible performance, one that seemed to capture the director's vision. This story will probably not appeal to the viewer looking for the usual comedic coming of age tale.